1. The organization must be an Alaska 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tribal entity or equivalent. If you have questions about the eligibility of your organization, please call the Foundation at (907) 297-2700 or toll free within Alaska (877) 366-2700.

2. The participant must be an Alaska resident with at least five years in the nonprofit sector and at least three years in his/her current position.

3. The applicant must be the CEO, executive director or tribal administrator of their organization.

Application Deadline

Applications must be postmarked by October 1.

Requirements

1. The organization must agree to continue paying employee benefits to the recipient during the period of the sabbatical.

2. Award recipients must participate in a peer support network through the Foraker Group during the sabbatical. Technical assistance before, during, and after the sabbatical is available through the Foraker Group at no charge to the recipient organization.

3. The participant must commit to return to the organization for a minimum of one year after the sabbatical with an additional commitment that the participant will pay back to the organization all expenses if he or she leaves before the year is complete.

4. Within three months of completing the sabbatical, recipients must provide the foundation with a written report of no more than three double-spaced pages on the benefits of their time away from work and any challenges they faced.

Selection Criteria

1. The benefit the sabbatical will have to both the organization and the individual.

2. The quality of the plan to assure the organization's sustainability during the sabbatical.

3. The Rasmuson Foundation prioritizes organizations that can demonstrate 100% of the board has financially contributed to the organization in the last 12 months. Click here for an explanation of board giving.

Sustainability for the Organization

The Rasmuson Foundation is committed to the continued sustainability and leadership of the organization during the absence of the chief executive. An interim leader must be identified by the organization in the plan for how your organization will be managed while the chief executive is absent. This may occur in several ways, including:

Some organizations may temporarily promote an interim leader from within.

The Foraker Group will develop a list of capable interim leaders and provide recommendations to the organization.

The award will not be given if, in the assessment of the selection committee, the organization is unable to sustain itself during the absence of the chief executive.